Situation in Gaza is 'much worse than what we've seen', says Tánaiste
Táinaiste Micheál Martin said that the world does not yet know the full scale of damage in Palestine. Picture: Dan Linehan
“There's a glaze on their eyes, they see no future. They've lost family, they've lost large numbers of loved ones.
“It's apocalyptic really...hope being extinguished.”
These reports from Gaza are what struck Tánaiste Micheál Martin most about the terrible conflict there when he spoke to Philippe Lazzarini who had recently returned.
Mr Lazzarini is Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the only major aid agency working in Gaza which provides vital services like healthcare and education.
Mr Lazarini told him about the huge change in the people trapped in Gaza.
“He’d been to Rafah just before he met me.
“He said that at the start of the war there was lots of adrenaline. Gazans were helping each other, they were running around, they were trying to help people when the explosions happened and bombs happened.
“But when he went more recently, he said that people were desperate. There’s a glaze on their eyes, they see no future.
“They've been moved from the north, to the centre, to the south. They're with their children, they've lost family, they've lost large numbers of loved ones.
After Israel alleged that Hamas operatives were working for UNRWA, many countries pulled funding from the UN agency, leaving it cash starved at its time of greatest need.
Mr Martin said that Ireland has strongly supported continuing funding of UNRWA and donated an additional €20m to try to help tide the agency over as it battles death, destruction and starvation within Gaza.
Mr Martin said that the world does not yet know the full scale of damage there.
“I think it's much worse than what we've seen. I would say to Israel unequivocally that you must allow the international community into Gaza as soon as possible and you should allow the international media unimpeded and protected into Gaza to see the scale of the destruction and the damage because it seems to me Gaza has been levelled.”
He said that Ireland has worked effectively internationally to advance the Palestinian cause.
"Ireland has credibility on Palestine. The danger at times is if you don't work within the EU and try to change people, people will say, 'look, Ireland's just pro-Palestine. It’s over there in the corner, saying what it normally says,' and no one takes a blind bit of notice of what you're saying.
"Whereas I would argue that Europe has moved a lot during the course of this war [towards the Palestinian position]. A majority now want an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
The Tánaiste dismissed rumours that he has blocked the publication of government plans to house refugees until after the election as “outrageous”.
Micheál Martin said that he has “blocked nothing” and a Government plan to house asylum seekers will come before Cabinet in the coming weeks.
“That's nonsense. I've blocked nothing,” he said.
“The elections are in June, but they’re only local elections. They’re not ones that will determine immigration policy.
“So I think that's an outrageous assertion.
“There will be a plan, it's going to come to Cabinet in the next number of weeks."
Mr Martin said that he supports more State provided asylum seeker accommodation centres but both private accommodation and State facilities will be needed into the future.
The number of people seeking asylum in Ireland has increased fivefold since 2019, he said.
“People are concerned about it [migration].
“And I understand why people feel the pressures.
“But we have to work out a coherent plan that's sustainable into the future.”
He believes history will judge Ireland well in respect of welcoming Ukrainian refugees from the first war in Europe since World War II in which 12m people have been displaced.
Putin has weaponised migration and migration is causing immense stresses globally, not just in Europe but in the Middle East, South America, Central America, and in America, he said.
Some EU parties are now considering using non-EU countries to process asylum applicants which echo the UK’s controversial and failed plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing.
But the Conservatives in the UK have not stopped the boats, he said.
"Despite all the tough talk the numbers [of migrants and asylum seekers] have gone up," Mr Martin said.
“Not one migrant has gone to Rwanda but lots of money has gone there.
“So we should learn lessons from that,” Mr Martin said.
But migration policy now requires a European-wide approach, he said.
“The world needs to stabilise these areas. That's how you ultimately stem migration.”
He denied that Ireland’s reliance on just one navy ship to patrol Irish waters was allowing international drug traffickers easy access, as Ireland’s air maritime surveillance has 'never been stronger' with two C295 aircraft.
"We have stronger maritime surveillance than we ever had with the two C295s. Within a day they can look at the entire sea coast of Ireland, our territory.
“So they would have been monitoring that [drug] ship coming a long time out.
“I think we've been very successful in drug interdictions. A lot of [drug] hauls have come in the last three months."
Although a lack of naval ships was of some concern regarding drug trafficking, he said the real problem with this current shortage was what it meant for Ireland’s capacity to protect critical undersea cables.
But drug use in Cork city was a problem that needed to be tackled, he said.
“The ease of access to cocaine and all of that is frightening. We do need more Gardaí in Cork. We need more of a presence. There are people articulating a concern about the safety of the city, and we are working with the Gardaí.”
But despite current problems of substance abuse and dereliction, he believes Cork is in the middle of a positive transformation.
“I see a great future for the city but it's going through a period of transition,” he said.
“The city centre is changing. I think we're going to see more residential in the city centre. We need to see more residential because of the nature of how cities evolve.
“I think the Docklands [redevelopment] will revitalise the city centre.
"Light rail is coming, there's huge investment in the commuter [...] trains [...] and more buses and public transport."
And active travel investment is going to make a huge difference in the quality of people's lives in Cork, Mr Martin said.
"The number of people that are walking that now and use the Marina [and Marina Park].
“You will be able to cycle the whole way in to the city centre without seeing a car eventually. That will help the city centre revive.
“We've invested hugely, but now that investment has to come through."
